18 civilians, 1 police officer killed by Lhasa rioters

Source: Xinhua | 03-22-2008 11:49

LHASA, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Eighteen civilians and one police officer were confirmed dead by Friday night in the unrest that rocked Lhasa last week, the Tibet regional government said.

Previously, the official death toll for the innocent was 13.

In addition, 241 police officers were injured, 23 critically, and one police officer was killed by the mob, said the government in a statement.

The number of injured civilian rose to 382 from 325. Fifty-eight were seriously wounded, said the government.

The unrest, which broke out in the Tibetan capital last week, left businesses looted and residences, shops and vehicles torched.

Rioters set fire to seven schools, five hospitals and 120 residences, Eighty-four vehicles were burnt down and 908 shops were looted. Damage is estimated at more than 244 million yuan (about 34.59 million U.S. dollars), he said.

Law enforcement authorities in Tibet issued a notice last Saturday, urging lawbreakers in the riots to stop their activities and offering leniency to those who surrendered. The number of riot perpetrators who surrendered to police climbed to 183 by Friday.

The Public Security Bureau of Lhasa has issued a "most wanted" list hunting for 21 suspects and post their images on major Internet portals, including Yahoo.com and Sina.com. on Friday.

Editor:Zhang Ning